Do you understand now?
by alekamatic
Summary: Arthur doesn't understand. Why would Morgana betray Camelot? Set during season 3 episode 2 "The Coming of Arthur: Part 2"


**Hi everyone, sorry for the extremely long delay in any new stories but it took me a long time to find a story I was confident I could write. **

**This story takes place in the moment during "The Coming of Arthur: Part 2" where Merlin and Arthur are in the cave together during Morgana's first occupation of Camelot with the Immortal Army, when merlin is trying to get Arthur to believe in himself. **

"It's rat." Urged Merlin as he squatted in front of Arthur, holding the foul smelling bowl out to him, "Oh, believe me you've eaten far worse. I mean, I have definitely served you things I would never have touched but you wolfed them down, no problem"

"Merlin, for once, leave me in peace. please" Said the prince as he moved his leather clad hands through his hair in an act of complete despair towards the whole situation in general. But really, who could blame him? His father had lied to him about Morgana and Morgana was now terrorizing camelot from the inside for reasons he could't seem to wrap his head around.

"I understand, your father lied to you about Morgana, I don't know why, but I'm sure he had his reasons but, now is not the time for that. He is still your father and he needs you. Camelot needs you." Merlin's voice no longer had it's joyful ring but an air wisdom that so rarely came through.

"I've known her all my life. How could she do this to us?" Arthur appeared to be almost pleading with Merlin for an answer. Looking into his eyes, Merlin wanted to say he didn't know why but, truly, he knew exactly why and right now was not the time for secrets when he could so easily ease some of Arthurs pain.

Merlin sighed as he came to a conclusion in his mind. He stood and picked up a small glass vial of a sleeping tonic that Giaus had brought into the caves with him from Giaus's medicine bag before walking back over to a confused Arthur.

"Take this vial and smash it on the ground." He said as he handed to small item to Arthur. Arthur took the vial but looked at him as though he had just grown two heads and made no move to smash the fragile item in his hand, "Please, it'll make sense in a moment" Merlin encouraged gently. Arthur looked at him a moment longer before sighing deeply and dropping the glass onto the stone floor, where it smashed into dozens of shards of broken glass.

"Okay, are you happy now?" Arthur asked, albeit sarcastically. Merlin looked at him seriously before asking,

"Is it broken?"

"Yes" Arthur responded, in a tone that made clear how very exhausted he was.

"Now apologize to it" Arthur looked at Merlin in a confused way again but, before he could protest, Merlin looked at him in an all knowing way and said, "please, just do as I say Arthur and it'll make sense." Arthur sighed again before looking down at the shattered vial and saying a very quick and insincere,

"sorry" to the small item. He looked back at Merlin who said,

"Is it fixed now?"

"Of course it's not fixed, you idiot!" Arthur whisper-yelled

"So, sorry wasn't good enough?" This stopped Arthur's oncoming assault of insults at his servant in his tracks.

"No, I suppose not, bu-" before he could even finish his sentence Merlin was asking another question,

"What about something sticky, like molasses? Could you use that to put it back together again?" Arthur swallowed thickly before saying,

"I can try."

'Would you still be able to see the cracks if you did?"

"Yes." He said after a moment of thought

"Would it be able to hold any water? would it be able to fulfill it's purpose?" Merlin's question's were coming faster now and Arthur shook his head, almost ashamed as said a quiet,

"No. Bu-" He tried to protest again but was cut off by another question from Merlin.

"Why not?" Merlin was looking at him now, In a way that made Arthur know that this really was going somewhere.

"because it's broken." he responded after another pause.

"Because _you_ have broken it." Merlin corrected gently.

"Oh." was the only thing Arthur could think to say.

"And it will be broken forever. You couldn't fix it by saying sorry." Arthur nodded at this but was watching Merlin as he continued.

"Will it still be broken if you walk away?" Merlin asked, Arthur nodded again as Merlin's eyes searched his face.

"So you leaving won't fix it?" Arthur lowered his head, saying a quiet,

"No."

"Is there anything that will make it the way it was before?"

"No."

"Now imagine that the vial you smashed is Morgana and you are your father. Your father lied to Morgana about her parentage, refused to listen to her about anything and everything she ever critiqued him, about and repeatedly threw her in the dungeons for it. Your father was what irreparably broke Morgana to the point where she would do anything to distract herself from the fact she can no longer fulfill her original purpose. Do you understand now?" Merlin concluded, looking at Arthur in that way of his that was so infinitely understanding and loyal that Arthur had to remind himself that Merlin wasn't even a knight.

"Arthur, I know you don't think we have a chance of beating the immortal army but, what is the point of having the unwavering loyalty of the people of Camelot if you aren't willing to fight for them?"

And for the first time that day, Arthur believed that they had a chance.

**Thank you so much for reading! Please review, I love constructive criticism and really hope you enjoyed :)**

**I don't own Merlin if you hadn't noticed and the idea for the conversation goes to a post on tumblr.**

**If you have any ideas for stories I should write, please send them to me, I love writing but i'm unfortunately lacking in great ideas.**

**Thanks again!**


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